Windmill.



No. 643,166. Patented Feb. la, |900. c. T. SEARS 6 c. r. cunsev.

WINDMILL.

(Application med mv. 1o, 1697.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-8h61# l.

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No. 643,166. Patented Feb. I3. |900. c'. T. SEARS 6. c. F. cunnEY.

Wl N D M IL L (Application led Nov. 10, 1897.)

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rrnn STATES .PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES THOMPSON SEARS ANDOHARLES FREMONT` OURREY, on 'rO'rERA KANSAS.`

.WINDMILL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Iiaent No. 643,166, dated February 13, 1900. v

Application filed November 10, 1897. Serial No. 658,067. (No model.) l l To ail whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES THOMPSON SEARS and CHARLES FREMONT CURREY, citi` zens of the United States, residing at Topeka,

in the county of Shawnee and State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful Windmill, of vwhich the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in The object of the present invention is to im- A pump and which `will be capable of exerting great power in operating the latter and of enabling the stroke of the same to be readily regulated to adapt the cylinder and piston of the pump to the Windmill, `so that both may coact to the greatest advantage. A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and eiiicient device for automatically controlling the blades of the windwheel, and thereby governing the speed of the Windwill, and for enabling the same to run a a uniform speed in variable winds.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for automatically lubricating the bearings of the windmill and for supplying a sufficient quantity of lubricant to enable the windmill to operate for months without-reuirinlr attention and without necessitating` q b D an operator frequently climbing the tower to oil the working parts. l

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated` in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out inthe claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure l is an elevation of a windmill constructed in accordance with this invention. vien7 of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional View illustrating the construction of the Outer bearing of the Wind-wheel shaft. Fig. 4 is a similar View of the inner bearing of the wind-wheel shaft. "Fig 5 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating the manlner of mounting the stub-shaft and showing the means for lubricating the same. Fig. 6 is Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional` a detail view of theforked connecting-rod. Fig. 7 is adetailsectional view illustrating theconstruction of the inner bearing of the Wind-wheel shaft.` i Fig. ,S is a detail view of the hub of the wind-Wheel, illustrating the manneroli journalingthe spokes or shafts of bearing or turn-table `2 and provided at the ,latter with an annular Hange 3, which is secured to the movable portion of the bearing or turntable 2 by suitable fastening devices. The annular flange 3, which extends horizontally from the tubular standard, is formed on a coupling composed of two interiorly-thread- \ed sections receiving the adjacent sections of the tubular standard and secured together by the fastening devices 4t,which pass through the annular ange 3. The lower or stationary portion 5, which forms the base of the bearing or turn-table, is provided with a central opening to receive the tubular standard and has an annular groove forming a race for a series ot' antifrictionballs 6. The movable portion or turn-table, which is in the form of a ring, is provided in its lower face, near its outer periphery, Withan annular groove '7, receiving Or tting over the upper edge of the outer wall of the ball-race. tion permits the tubular standard to rotate freely and substantially frictionlessly to maintain the wind-wheel in the Wind.

Guy-rods 8 support the tubular standard in its Vertical position and are connected at their upper'ends to the same bya cap or collar 9, which is swiveled or journaled to the standard in any suitable manner to permit the necessary rotation. These guy-rods are attached to the standard a sufficient distance above the wind-Wheel l0 to permit the same to clear them when it rotates. is further supported by truss-rods 11, extending the greater portion of the length of it and This construc- The standard truss-rods and are interposed between them and the standard, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings, and turnbuckles 13 are provided at the lower ends of the truss-rods for enabling the truss to be strained to the proper tension. This manner of bracing and supporting the tubular standard firmly holds the windmill in an upright position and is suiiicient to sustain the same in heavy winds, especially so as the standard or tower presents but little surface to the same.

The tubular standard, which may be constructed of any number of sections, is provided near its top with a coupling 14, forming a housing for a lower sprocket-wheel 15 and connected by a short tubular section 16 with an upper coupling or housing 17, which receives an upper sprocket-wheel 18. A horizontal tubular arm 19 extends from the upper coupling or housing 17 and receives a horizontal wind-wheel shaft 20, upon which the windwheel lO'is mounted. The upper sprocketwheel 1S, which is mounted upon the inner end of the wind-wheel shaft, is connected by a vertical sprocket-chain 21 with the lower sprocket-wheel 15; but the arrangement of f the sprocket-wheels may be reversed, the

chain extending upward from the wind-wheel shaft instead of-below'it, as shown inthe drawings. One of the links of the sprocketchain is connected with a reciprocatingpumprod 22, which has its upper end bent at right angles to form a wrist-pin 23.. The stroke of the pumprod is substantially vertical throughout its entire length, as the rod is carried quickly around the sprocket-wheels at the ends of its stroke, which may be readily regulated,by the means hereinafter described, to adapt it to the length of the cylinder 24 of a pump 25, connected with the tubular standard at the bottom thereof.

The upper and lower couplings or housings 17 and 14 are provided at opposite sides with openings adapted to afford ready access to the sprocket wheels, chain, and the upper end of the pump-rod, so the parts may be readily adjusted or repaired. .These openings are threaded and receive screw plugs or caps 14,

and 17, adapted to be readily removed when itis desired to inspect the interior mechanism. l In order to enable the tower or standard to be readily ascended, .horizontal bolts 1aM are mounted on it at opposite sides thereof and arranged at intervals, as clearly illustrated in Fig. l of the accompanying drawings, to form a ladder. The inner ends of the bolts 'y are threaded and screwed into threaded perstitutes the discharge-pipe of the pump and f is provided with a nozzle or outlet-pipe 31, which may be located at any convenient point between the ground and .the lower coupling or housing 14. The coupling at the base of the tubular standard rigidly connects the latter and the pump, which turns freely with the standard on the bearing formed by the turntable.

The pump-rod is provided with a coupling 32, formed by overlapping the adjacent ends of the sections of the pump-rod and providing each overlapped portion with anl eye to receive the other portion. The sections of the pump-rod are secured at the desired adj ustmentby a screw 33 or other suitable fastening device passing through them at a point between the eyes, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The wind-wheel is provided with a hub 34, keyed or otherwise fixed to the outer end of the wind-wheel shaft 20, andv is .provided with bearings 35 and 36, disposed in pairs and tangentially alined and receiving journaled spokes 37, which carry slightly-curved blades 38. The inner ends of the spokes o'r shafts are stepped in an annular series of sockets 36a, forming stops and arranged at the periphery of the hub adjacent to the inner bearings 35. The shafts or spokes 37 have secured to them' angle arms or levers 39, consisting 0f substantially horizontal innervportions and inclined outer portions or extensions, carry- /ing weights 40, which are adapted to be swung outward through centrifugalforce when the rotation 4of the wind-wheel exceeds a given rate, whereby the blades 38 will be opened to expose less of their surface to the wind, and thereby decrease the speed of the windmill and reduce it to a uniform rotation. The inner ends of the weighted levers are arranged between the stop 3b'a and the'inner bearing and they are adapted to retain the shafts in position. The weighted arms automatically govern the speed of the windmill and the blades of the wind-wheel are held normally closed by springs 41 and 42, which may vary in strength to produce the desired power or capacity of the windmill.

The angle arms or levers 39 are pivotally connected at theirangles tolink-rods 43,which extend outward from the arms or levers to a collar 44, which is slidingly mounted on the tubular extension 45fof the wind-wheel shaft. The spring42, which is of spiral form, is disposed on the tubular extension 45 and interposed between the outer end of the windwheel shaft and the sliding collar; but it may be housed within the extension 45, it' desired. The springs 41 consist of flat rods disposed longitudinally of the blades and rigidly secured to the hub at their inner ends by bolts which pass through perforations of the rim of the hub and the rods and which receive or- IOC IOS.

the sockets 36a and prevent any end thrustof the same.

When an increase in force of the wind causes the wind-wheel to rotate too rapidly, the centrifugal force exerted on the Weights overcomes the resistance of the springs and the Weights move outward, drawing the sliding collar 44 inward and turning the blades so as to present less fan-surface to the wind, thereby automatically maintaining a uniform speed of the wheel. When the wind abates andthe Wheel slackens its speed,

the centrifugal force is correspondingly lessened, and the springs operate to return the blades to their normal positions. The inclined arms or extensions of the weighted levers 39 are arranged at an angle of forty-ve degrees to the inner portions, and from this position the weights exert their greatest centrifugal force and operate more quickly to the rotation of the wheel than from any other point. The weights are thus enabled to overcome the tension of stiff springs, which are necessary to hold the blades in place, and to return them to their initial position after they have been opened. l

The wind-wheel shaft is supported by inner and outer bearings 48 and 49, and the blades or fans 38 are operated by hand through the medium of an operating-lever 50, located adjacent to the base of the tower-standard 1 and carrying a spring-actuated pawl 51, which engages a segmental ratchet 52 of the standard. The pawl, which is engaged by a spring 53, is connected by a rod with the lever 54,' mounted on the operating-lever adjacent to the handle thereof and adapted to be grasped` simultaneously with the latter. The operating-lever is connected by a rod or wire 55 with a chain 56 or other fiexible connection, which passes over a pulley 57, mounted on a bracket 58, adjacent to the upper coupling or housing 17 and at a point opposite the horizontal arm 19. The upper end of the chain 56 is linked into an eye or opening of"a hori zontally-disposed connecting-rod 59, which passes through the coupling or housing 17 and extends into the arm 19, its inner end being forked at 60, as shownin Fig. 6, and pivoted to a coupling 61. The coupling 61, which connects the forked rod 59 with a pair of parallel rods 62, is composed of inner and outer sections 63 and 64, overlapping and provided at their adjacent ends with oppositely-disposed annular flanges. The inner section G3 slides on and rotates with the windwhcel shaft, and the outer section has simply a sliding movement. A series of antifrictionballs 65 are interposed between the flanges of the sections, and the parts of the coupling are held together by an interiorly-threaded collar or nut 66, which screws on the outer en d of the inner section 63. This collar or nut 6G is provided with threaded perforations receiving the inner terminals of the rods 62, which pass through the outer bearing of the wind-wheel shaft and the hub of the windwheel and extend to the sliding collar 44. The outer ends of the rods 62 are suitably connected with the sliding collar 44, and when the lever 50 is swung downward they are adapted to draw the sliding collar 44 inward and open the blades of the wind-wheel to throw the windmill out of operation. The operating-lever may be secured at any desired adjustment by the pawl and ratchet in order to turn the wind-wheel wholly or par tially out of the wind, as desired.

A fiange or collar 67 is secured to the windwheel shaft by screw-threads or other suitable means at a point between the upper sprocket-wheel and the inner bearing 48, which consists of a sleeve or bushing supported at the bottom by Iianges 68 and having studs 69 at its top. The flanges rest upon the tubular arm 19 at the bottom thereof, and the studs fit against the top of the tubular arm and are engaged by screws 70, which pass through the arm and engage suitable recesses of the studs. The inner end of the bushing or bearing 48 isprovided with an annular groove receiving an annular series of antifriction-balls 71,bearing against the outer face of the collar or flange 67 and formingra ball-bearing that prevents any longitudinal movement or end thrust of the wind-wheel shaft and reduces the friction thereof to a minimum. v

The inner bearing or bushing, which is sta tionary, is ofsufticient diameter to receive the wind-wheel shaft and an annular series of IOO IIO

antifriction-rolls 72, which are interposed between the shaft and the bushing or journal box and which have their inner ends abutting against an annular flange or wall 73. The antifriction-rolls are retained within the journal box or bushing 48 by a detachable collar 74, secured 4to the wind-wheel shaft at the outer end of the bearing by a clampingscrew 75.

The outer bearing 49 of the wind-wheel shaft is fixed to the saine, and consists of `a cylindrical sleeve preferably secured to the shaft by a key and being of a thickness to provide an intervening space between it and the inner face of the tubular arm 19 to receive an annular series of antifriction-'rolls 76. The antifriction-,rolls 76 are seated in a recess of the outer bearing or sleeve, such recess forming annular end flanges or stops 77 to engage the ends of the rolls 76. An interiorly-threaded cap 78 engages the outer threaded end of the arm 19 and is provided at its inwardlyextending portion or fiange with a central opening of sufficient diameter to permit the passage of the wind-wheel shaft and the parallel rods 62. The tubular arm is provided at its inner end with a vertical plate 79, bolted to the inner face of the upper coupling or housing and partially closing the inner end of the arm to provide an oil-tight compartment at the bottom of the arm. The oil-com partment is filled with oil nearly to the bottom of the wind-Wheel shaft, which produces a thorough lubrication of the rolls and balls which revolve in it. Self-oiling bearings are thus provided, and as the oil-compartment is capable of storinga large quantity of oil the latter has to be renewed only at long intervals.

The lower sprocket-wheel is fixed to a stubshaft 80, mounted in a vertically-adjustable j ournal-box 81, which is provided with slotted flanges 82 and S3, extending upward from and depending below the journal-box. The slots of the Iianges 82 and 83 receive bolts 84,'which pass through perforations of the lower coupling or housing 14E and which secure thejournal-box in its adjustment. This adjustment enables 'the sprocket-chain to be'L maintained at the proper tension. The coupling or housing 14: is provided with a Vertical opening to receive the journal-box and the stub-shaft, and the latter is provided at its outer end with an annular groove S5, which is engaged by a screw 86 or other suitable fastening device for holding the stub-shaft against longitudinal movement in the journal-box.

Thejournal-boX is provided below the stubshaft at a point near the coupling or housing 14 with a depending reservoir or compartment 87, and it has an oil passage or tube 88 extending upward from it in alinement with the shaft. The oil tube or passage 88, which forms a filling-orifice, is eXteriorly threaded and receives a cap, and the lubricant contained within the compartment or reservoir 87 is fed to the stub-shaft by an endless chain 89, passing around the stub-shaft and depending therefrom. The chain 89, which eX` tends nearly to the bottom of the reservoir, forms an efficient oil-conveyer and is operated by the rotation of the stub-shaft, whereby oil is continuously and automatically carried to the journal-box. The journal-box is provided at its inner end with a recess 90 and with a return-passage 91, extending from the recess to the oil-reservoir and adapted to conduct superfluous oil back to the latter to prevent any waste of the lubricant.

An oil cup or reservoir 92 is arranged within and secured to the coupling or housing 14 at a point below the lower sprocket-wheel. This oil cup or reservoir 92, which projects slightly beyond the faces of the lower sprocket-wheel, is adapted to supply oil or other lubricant to the sprocket-chain, which carries a dipping device 93, consisting of a small chain secured at one end to one of the links, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 5 of the accompanying drawings. The chain 93 effectively lubricates the sprocket-chain, and inorder to prevent any of the oil running down the pump-rod the latter is provided at the wrist pin or pivot 23 with a collar or iiange 94, which has a tapering edge or periphery. Any oil collecting on the collar or flange 94 will drop into the oil cup or reservoir 92 and will not fall into the well.

The invention has the following advantages:

The tubular standard forms a tower and also constitutes a discharge-pipe for the pump with which it is directly connected, and the horizontal tubular arm of the standard forms a self-acting oil-reservoir and is adapted to contain a sufficient supply to last for a long time, and thereby obviate the necessity of climbing the tower at short intervals to oil the bearings. The tubular standard and horizontal tubular arm also provide a housing for the working parts of the Wheel, completely protecting them from the weather.

The windmill provides a simple, safe, direct, and economical water-elevator and enables water to be discharged at any elevation Within the limits of the tubular standard below the lower coupling or housing. The tower is strong and durable, offering but little resistance to the wind, and the guy-rods extended from the top of the standard render it almost impossible for the wind to affect the tower, while the truss-braces render it entirely rigid and prevent any vibration. The stroke of the pump may be made any desired length by lengthening the tubular sections connecting the upper and lower housing and lengthening the sprocket-chain to correspond, and is limited only by the height of a tower or the depth of a well, and it is powerful and almost continually vertical, the turns being quickly and easily effected.

The windmill is governed automatically,

so as to run at a uniform speed, and it may be thrown out of the wind, either Wholly or partially, by hand. The torsion springs, While maintaining the blades normallyin position to present their fan-surface to the wind, also operate as braces for supporting the windwheel, and they furthermore prevent any end thrust off the spokes 'or shafts of the blades by holding them firmly in their sockets. The stub-shaft and the sprocket-chain are automatically lubricated, and the superliuous oil is conducted back to the reservoir or oil-cup and is" prevented from running down the pump-rod into the well.

Changesin the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus fully described the invention,

IOC

IIO

what is claimed as new, and desired to be seand rigidly connected with them near the outer ends, and holding the same normally in their closed position and forming braces for supporting them, and preventing any end thrust of the blade-shafts, and means for operating the blades, substantially as described.

2. In a windmill, the combination of a Wind- Wheel provided with hinged or journaled blades, and torsion-springs extending longitudinally of the blades, rigidly connected at their inner ends to the hub of the wind-Wheel, and similarly secured at their outer ends to the blades, substantially as described.

3. In a windmill, the combination of a windwheel shaft, a wind-wheel mounted thereon and provided with hinged or journaled blades, a sliding collar, the angle arms or levers extending outward from the wind-wheel, connected rigidly with the journals of the blades and having their outer portions orvextensions disposed at an inclination and provided with weigh ts, links extending from the sliding collar and connected to the angle arms or levers at the angles thereof, and means for operating the sliding collar by hand, substantially as described.

4. In a windmill, the combination of a windwheel shaft, a wind-wheel mounted thereon and provided with hinged or journaled blades, a sliding collar, the angle arms or levers extending outward from the win d-wheel, connected rigidly with the journals of the blades and having their outer portions or extensions disposed at an inclination and provided with weights, links extending from the sliding cole lar and connected to the angle arms or levers at the angles thereof, a spiral spring engaging the sliding collar, parallel rods connected to the same, a coupling composed of sections slidingly mounted on the shaft and secured to the rods, and operating mechanism connected with the coupling, substantially as described.

5. In a windmill, the combination with a rotating pump, of a tubular standard forming a continuation of and constituting a dis charge-pipe for the pump and provided between its ends with an exterior bearing or turn-table located above the pump, said turntable constituting the sole support for the pump and the windmill and suspending the former within a well or cistern from the top thereof and out of contact with the bottom, whereby the pump is adapted to operate in a well or cistern of any depth, and gearing connected with the windmill for operating the pump, substantially as described.

6. In a windmill, the combination with a rotary pump, a pump-rod, a wind-wheel, and gearing connecting the pump-rod and the wind-wheel, of a tubular standard extending from the pump to the wind-wheel to provide a complete housing or'casing for the operating mechanism, and forming a continuation of and constituting a discharge-pipe for the pump, said standard being provided between its ends with an exterior bearing or turn-table located above the pump and constituting the sole support for both the pump and the windmill, and suspending the former within a well or cistern from the top of the same and out of contact with the bottom thereof,where by the pump is adapted to operate in a well or cistern of any depth, substantially as described.

7. In a windmill, the combination ofastandard provided with a tubular arm, a horizontal wind-wheel shaft mounted within the tubular arm, roller-bearings arranged within the tubular arm and supporting the wind-wheel shaft and located near the ends of said arm, a wind-Wheel mounted on the shaft and provided with hinged blades, a coupling arranged within the tubular arm in the space between the bearings and connected with the hinged blades, and operatin g mechanism connected with the coupling, substantially as described.

' 8. In a windmill, the combination of a hori- Zontal tubular arm, a Windwheel shaft, an inner bearing or bushing arranged within the arm and rigid with the same and having the wind-wheel shaft turning within it, and the outer rotary sleeve or bearing fixed to the shaft and turning within thetubular arm, substantially as described.

9. In a windmill, the combination of a horizontal tubular arm, a wind-Wheel shaft, an inner bearing or bushing arranged within the arm and rigid with the same and receiving the shaft, rolls interposed between the shaft and the bearing or bushing, an outer rotary sleeve or bearing fixed to the shaft, rolls interposed between the rotary sleeve or bearin g and the inner face of the tubular arm, a windwheel having hinged blades, rods connected with the hinged blades and extending through the rotary sleeve or bearing, and operating mechanism connected with the rods, substantially as described.

lO. In a windmill, the combination ofa horizontal tubular arm, a wind-wheel shaft arranged within the arm, a wind-wheel mounted thereon andhaving hinged blades, a sliding collar connected with the hinged blades, a coupling arranged on the shaft and comprising the inner and outer overlapping sections provided with oppositely-disposed annular Iianges, antifriction-balls interposed between the flanges, a collar or iiange engaging the ou ter end of the inner section, rods extending from thecollar or flange to the slidingcollar, and operating mechanism connected with the outer section of the coupling, substantially as described.

11. In a wind mill, the combination of a hub provided at its periphery with an annular se* ries of angle-arms having bearing-openings at their inner and outer terminals, the bearing-openings at the outer end ot' each one of the angle-arms being tan gentially alined with the inner bearing-opening of an adjacent arm, an annular series of sockets arranged at the periphery of the hub and `located adjacent to IOO IIO

the inner bea-rings, and the tangentially-arranged shafts carrying blades and journaled in said bearings with their inner ends stepped in the said sockets, substantially as described.

l2. Inawindmill, thecombination ofahorizontal tubular arm, a wind-wheel shaft eX- tending through the arm, a sliding two-part coupling arranged Within the arm and guided on the shaft and having one of its parts or members swiveled to the other and capable of rotation, rods extending from the rotary part or member of the coupling and designed to be connected with a Wind-Wheel, and a sliding rod connected with the other part or member of the coupling and adapted to move the latter positively'inward and outward, substantially as described.

13. In a Windmill, the combination of a hub provided with inner and outer tangentiallyalined bearing-openings arranged in annular series, stops spaced from the inner bearingopenings, the tangentially-arranged shafts carrying blades and journaled in the said bearing-openings, the inner ends of the shafts being arranged against the stops, and Weight.- ed levers secured to the 'inner ends of the shafts and arranged between the stops and the inner bearings and retaining the shafts in position, substantially as described.

1d. In a Windmill, the combination of a hub provided With inner and outer tangentiallyalined bearing-openings, the tangentially-arranged shafts carrying blades and journaled in the bearing-openings, and stops located adjacent to the inner bearing and having the inner ends of' the shafts abutting against them, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony that We claim the foregoing as our own We have hereto affixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES THOMPSON SEARS.

CHARLES FREMONT CURREY. Witnesses:

S. W. SEARS,

ANNA E. LooKHAR'r. 

